Reservoir Dogs (1992) | The Film Index

Film Record

Reservoir Dogs

Country: United States
Release: 2 SEP 1992
Runtime: 99 min
Original Language: English

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A botched robbery indicates a police informant, and the pressure mounts in the aftermath at a warehouse. Crime begets violence as the survivors -- veteran Mr. White, newcomer Mr. Orange, psychopathic parolee Mr. Blonde, bickering weasel Mr. Pink and Nice Guy Eddie -- unravel.

Why It's Here

Quentin Tarantino’s debut feature became a defining shock to early-1990s American indie cinema. It’s often studied for its nonlinear and shifting timeframes, including the bold choice to show the aftermath of a heist rather than the heist itself, and for its pop-culture-heavy dialogue where talk becomes a form of power and performance.

What to Watch For: The blocking in the warehouse. With the film largely anchored in one central location, watch how Tarantino uses staging, screen direction, and shifting actor positions to sustain tension and constantly reframe alliances. Pay close attention to the use of diegetic sound, especially the radio, as an ironic counterpoint to violence during the infamous ear-cutting scene.

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Reservoir Dogs

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